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IACOPO La Rocca knew he was in trouble when a moment of madness earned him a straight red card, but he didn't know at the time just how much it would cost him.
The Wanderers' defensive midfielder received a four- match ban after he floored Sydney FC youngster Terry Antonis with a wayward elbow last season.
The heated Sydney derby was played just before the finals series and the suspension ruled La Rocca out of Western Sydney's semi-final and the grand final.
La Rocca, who apologised to Antonis before he left the field, says he struggled to come to terms with the blow.
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"When I got the red card I didn't think, but after the game I was thinking how many games I would miss," he said.
"Then later, when they gave me four games, I was struggling in my head because I had been waiting the whole season for the semi-final and the final and when they said to me that I would miss those games ... it was just too much."
The Italian enforcer was at Allianz Stadium when the Wanderers lost 2-0 to the Central Coast Mariners in the grand final a year ago, but it was agonising for him to be a mere observer.
GRAND FINAL
BRISBANE ROAR v WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
Sunday 4pm (EST), Suncorp Stadium, Fox Sports 2HD
"I cannot explain the frustration," La Rocca said.
"It's always difficult to watch games, but when it is the semi-final and the final it was difficult. If we had won maybe it would have been easier, but we lost and it wasn't good."
But La Rocca is already on his way to redeeming himself this season. The 30-year-old scored the Wanderers' second goal against the Mariners on Saturday to seal the club's place in a second consecutive grand final.
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And he is determined to give "200 per cent" against Brisbane Roar on Sunday to make amends for last season's bitter disappointment.
"A new year, a new season and we can change something from last season," La Rocca said. "During the pre-season we already started to prepare ourselves for this game and now we can play this game.
"I really want to redeem myself because I want to win and lift up that trophy."
Iacopo La Rocca's moment of madness last season. Source: News Limited
While La Rocca would prefer to be playing the final in Sydney, he insists once the players step on to the pitch at Suncorp Stadium it won't matter where they are.
He is expecting a large contingent of Wanderers fans, who he describes as incredible, to make the trip.
"If it was in Sydney it would be better, but it doesn't matter," he said. "When you're on the field we won't be thinking if we're in Brisbane or Sydney, because so many supporters will come from Sydney and it will be good."
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